Resolved 1G replacing speedometer cable

[Korndogg]

hey all
my speedometer jumps constantly and vibrates all the time.. and has now become uncalibrated...
i have come to believe that it's probably a bad speedometer cable?

if someone knows of another possibility, please let me know...

anyway, how might i go about replacing the speedometer cable on my 1.8L 94 eclipse? is it something that's pretty complicated? or no... i've been behind the dash many times.. and know what that end of the cable looks like.. but i honestly don't even know where the other end goes.. heh
where might i buy a replacement cable(online)?
thanks a lot

oh, and how do i go about re-calibrating it? will just replacing the cable do it?
thanks!

 

[Defiant]

How do you figure it's out of calibration? Mechanical speedo calibration involves running a magnetic field through the cup in the head of the speedometer.
As for replacing the speedo cable, unscrew it from the transmission and pull it out. I'd have to look at the car to see which direction, but you probably do it from the engine bay.

 

[Korndogg]

well monday morning it just completely spazzed and said i was doin 150mph when i was really doin ~60mph

ever since, whenever i start the car, the needle stays limp.. it used to go up to 0mph.. so it's always a good 15mph lower than it should be, on the rare occations that it's not jumping around

is it pretty easy to replace the cable? where might i find a new one? napa?

 

[kscott]

The speedometer cable is pretty easy to replace, and the price for a Mitsu one isn't bad (I paid around $24 after discount, if I recall). However, if at times your speedometer is showing higher than your actual speed, I doubt the cable could really be causing much of that.

You might need a new gauge cluster (a junkyard would be a good source for that). Or you might look into just getting the speedometer repaired, so you could keep your original odometer. Still, replacing the cable at the same time would seem like a good idea, and you might as well try the cable first.

The shop manual gives decent instructions on this. If you don't have one, you might want to check into the Manual CD.

 

[Korndogg]

yeah, sometimes it works pretty normally... but then once i hit a certain speed, it'll start vibrating really bad and jump up by 10-20 miles or more... heh
i hope it's the cable... i don't think the speedo would be an easy repair...

 

[gringoloco]

Originally posted by Korndogg
yeah, sometimes it works pretty normally... but then once i hit a certain speed, it'll start vibrating really bad and jump up by 10-20 miles or more... heh
i hope it's the cable... i don't think the speedo would be an easy repair...

my 90 GST had the problem with the cluster, it first started jumping all across the cluster while driving. one day i went out for a drive and nothing the needle was dead. so i went to car-part.com and found a speedometer cluster for my car, and put it in and it works now. im 100% positive that your cluster is on its way out. i got mine from the junkyard off that link for $30. quick easy install. and the cable is $5 from a junkyard also. it runs from your firewall down into the top of your transmission, it unscrews there and then unconnect it from the firewall. but like i said its your speedometer cluster itself replace it and you shouldnt have anymore problems. a good way to test your cluster is pull it out and there is a gold screw on the back spin that counter clock wise and watch your needle. if it doesnt move your speedometer cluster is broken, but if it moves its your cable.

 

[Korndogg]

thanks a lot
i've had the cluster out many times though and never noticed the screw of which you speak though...
odd
i'll take another looksie
but yeah, i was thinking about buying a new one, but i'd rather keep my odometer reading if possible... oh well